Dig into Aberdeen Restaurant Week!
Aberdeen Restaurant Week kicked off on Monday and hundreds of people have already been out and about enjoying all the city centre has to offer.
Running until Friday 18 March around 40 of the best city centre restaurants and cafes have unique menus on offer for £10 or £25.
Our reviewers have been out sampling all that’s on offer from ‘banging Bao Buns’ served up by How Bao Now at 99 Bar and Kitchen to ‘golf ball sized Beef Stovie Bon Bons’ at one of Aberdeen’s few remaining cellar bars, The Howff on Union Street. The reviews are an essential part of the promotion as they encourage people to go on to book. You can read them all on our social media accounts @abdninspired or by clicking here.
With many restaurants reporting an upturn in business, particularly on mid-week nights, Aberdeen Restaurant Week is a hit with both diners and restaurants alike. Michal and Lene, owners at Al Fresco Italian restaurant told us “Restaurant week is a fantastic opportunity to showcase what we have to offer as a family run business. Fresh food, friendly faces, and such an enjoyable experience. It is always fantastic to see so many new faces, who are now familiar. We value getting to know our customers very much, and restaurant week has given us the opportunity to attract new customers, receive great feedback and motivate us to keep doing what we love."
Local bus operator First Aberdeen have also joined forces with the BID to support the event and have put together a handy page on their website promoting the event, restaurants and how to get there. Click here to check it out .
And if you book Aberdeen Taxis to take you into town just quote 'Aberdeen Restaurant Week' at the time of booking to enjoy 10% off your fare. Everything you need to know about Aberdeen Restaurant Week can be found here.
Union Street Central pedestrianisation hangs in the balance
Last week, Aberdeen City Council voted to re-open the stretch of road (Union Street central) to buses and taxis, and support the Belmont Street Quarter, George Street and beach proposals.Commenting on the decision Adrian Watson, Chief Executive said: “Aberdeen Inspired is disappointed that the bold, ambitious plan to pedestrianise ‘Union Street Central’ has been rejected. At a time when we need creativity and forward-thinking to tackle the challenges facing our city centre, this is a missed opportunity. No-one disputes that accessibility for all is a major concern but it is one that could be overcome by working together to find solutions, rather than falling at the first hurdle.
"Pedestrianisation and the potential it would unlock could have brought the overall city centre vision to life and on a par with most other progressive towns and cities up and down the country. We hope these plans can be revisited.
"We were pleased to see support for the Belmont Street Quarter and with that the Café Culture. We have long maintained that this is ideal to allow our hospitality businesses to responsibly develop onto the street, with plenty of examples of this being the successful norm in places further north than us. Of course, there needs to be reassurance that the communication continues with all our businesses in that area to find the best fit model.
"We were also delighted to see strong support for the George Street and beach proposals, which are so important to the wider city centre regeneration."
Businesses and schools set to open colourful Umbrella installations
Several local schools and businesses have signed up to support the installation of multi-coloured umbrellas which will be suspended across Aberdeen city centre streets and in their own premises this summer as part of an exciting installation being spearheaded by Aberdeen Inspired in partnership with the ADHD Foundation.
Set to launch in June 2022 several schools have followed Mile End’s lead and signed up for the project with will give them the tools to allow pupils and staff to create their own unique installation. Brimmond, Broomhill , The Gordon Schools, Kaimhill , Airyhall , St Machar Academy and Ellon, Kellands Schools have all agreed to create an uplifting installation and raise awareness of neurodevelopmental conditions like dyslexia, ADHD, autism etc, that affect 1 in 5 people from all walks of life.
Aberdeen Inspired have already secured £12,500 of funding towards the first installation but are still seeking local businesses to help secure additional funding for other city centre and school installations.
Commenting on the opportunity Roulè Wood, Business Engagement Manager said “Through these installations we aim, together with the ADHD Foundation to develop links with local business to support understanding and celebrate neurodiversity in the workplace.
“Businesses can support schools by funding an installation or choose to fund one of the major showpieces that will live in the city centre during the summer months.”
For £450, businesses can also opt for a mini-installation on their premises, as well as access to two webinars on “Why Neurodiversity is good for business”. Find out more here & here.
Streets including Justice Mill Lane, Shiprow, Chapel Street and Belmont Street are possible locations for the installations and work is now underway with ACC planning department on ascertaining the feasibility of the installations in these city centre sites.
Businesses who have already signed up for an installation include Aberdeen Performing Arts, The University of Aberdeen, Sandman Signature Hotel and Café 52.
The deadline for schools and businesses to sign up is fast approaching, find out more here.
Exciting news for food lovers in Aberdeen!
March brought with it some exciting developments for food lovers with two new names set to open soon in the city centre.
Six by Nico is aiming to open this spring in the former Topolabamba restaurant space on Union Street, where renovation work is currently taking place at a pace. A hugely popular venue in other major cities including Glasgow, Edinburgh, London and Dublin, this will be the first Six by Nico outside the Central Belt. Serving up a carefully curated six-course tasting menu themed on a different place, memory, or idea every six weeks the Six is know for its innovation, quality and outstanding value with the menu costing just £32.
Aberdonian duo Michael Robertson and David Griffiths who brought the successful backyard Beach Collective to the city last year announced a new innovative street food market hall will open in Marischal Square in the centre of Aberdeen, bringing a new food and drink concept to the city.
Resident X – to be known as RX – will launch an ‘incubator’ type food and drink hall offering six independently run food and drink units withing the space. Their aim is to reimagine the local bar and dining scene, with a focus on collaborative residency kitchens, modern craft drinks, and high energy social space. RX will open its doors in the second quarter of 2022.
Read more about Six by Nico here and Resident X here.
Aberdeen Jazz Festival is back!
Aberdeen Inspired are partnering with the team at Aberdeen Jazz Festival to help bring the much-loved festival back to the city next week.
Returning to the city with a packed 10-day programme of exciting live events from Thursday 17 to Sunday 27 March the festival offers a huge variety of performances covering everything from raucous blues-rock at the Lemon Tree sophisticated swing at the Cowdray Hall to late-night grooves at the Blue Lamp, there’s for all tastes!
One of the festival’s more unusual events is SoundBath, a series of site-specific performances in the historic Bon Accord Baths. Closed to the public since 2008, the vast, light-drenched, atmospheric cathedral-like space will inspire new music by Victoria Fifield and others. Not only a visual spectacle, the acoustics of the spacious Art Deco building will create an amazing aural experience, with sound reverberating around the tiled walls and pool floor.
Find out more here > https://aberdeenjazzfestival.c...
Gardens will burst into life this Spring
After closing in 2019 for its £28.3 million revamp, it has been announced there will be a “soft reopening” for the Union Terrace Gardens in Aberdeen City Centre by the end of April.
The refurbishment, including the construction of three new pavilions will draw people to the green space and it is hoped will accelerate the rejuvenation of Union Street. It will be fantastic to have a vibrant, green space back in the heart of our city.
Vacant units in decline on Union Street
The number of empty shops on Union Street in Aberdeen has fallen for the first time in two years.
Commenting on this, Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired said: "It is encouraging to hear this news on retail vacancy rates for Union Street.
“No doubt the move by major businesses such as Shell, who are relocating to the city centre, and new hospitality ventures by Resident X and Six by Nico give cause for further optimism.
“However, there are still clearly challenges, and never has there been more of a need for us to be bold and ambitious in our vision for the city centre by driving forward with delivery of our master plan.
“We also continue to push nationally for a more equitable business rates system, and ensure government does all that it can for wider city centre regeneration at a time when it has never been needed more.”
Read more here >https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/business/local/4018190/union-street-decline-arrested-new-mobile-phone-stores-have-boosted-shop-numbers/
NESCol – Flexible Workforce Development Fund
NESCol has obtained funding from the Scottish Government available for SME's to upskill or support their staff. Up to £5000 worth of funded training is available per employer.
There are many learning areas to choose from such as IT Skills, Business & Management, Mental Healrh & Wellbeing, Health & Safety and Enginieering. The courses are available in person and online. NESCol have already helped over 100 employers across the North East region access funded training, such as Garioch Heritage Centre and Ocura Healthcare Ltd.
BID businesses are encouraged to take advantage of this funding by getting in touch here & read more here.
Hospitality businesses back Aberdeen Inspired by becoming voluntary levy payers
Several hospitality businesses have reinforced their backing of Aberdeen Inspired’s work by signing up to become voluntary levy payers as part of Aberdeen Restaurant Week.
The Ashvale, Da Vinci Italian Restaurant, Faffless, Cup, Travancore, Books and Beans, The Jewel in the Crown and The Pigs Wings and have joined a growing list of voluntary levy payers the BID has secured, together with many from other sectors including The Tivoli, Aberdeen Football Club, Brodies and CBRE.
Commenting on becoming a voluntarily levy payer, Elena Ionascu, Owner of Da Vinci Italian Restaurant said: “I chose to become a voluntary levy payer because Aberdeen Inspired helped us to increase our customer base through Aberdeen Restaurant Week. The restaurant is always busy during this time, and many of the people coming during these weeks go on to become regular customers. The promotion Aberdeen Inspired give to this event is massive and is not something we could fund on our own, so is a great way to promote the business with their help."
Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said: “We are very grateful for the endorsement and support given by these local hospitality businesses who have chosen to support the organisations work by paying a voluntary levy.
“Now more than ever businesses in the city centre should be united and work together to drive confidence and footfall back into the city after a particularly challenging period for all. Voluntary payments like help to support the many initiatives and improvements we deliver which are all aimed at encouraging people back into the city centre to spend time and money in our shops, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities.”
Read more here > https://www.aberdeeninspired.c...
Aberdeen Cares – Celebrating 150 Years of VSA
A new exhibition at Aberdeen Art Gallery marking the 150th anniversary of Aberdeen Association of Social Service, known locally as VSA, opens to the public on Saturday 12 March.
Since 1870 Aberdeen Association of Social Service (VSA), has stood next to the people of the city, offering care, support, and vital services to vulnerable people in our communities. To mark the organisation’s 150th anniversary, this exhibition, which is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, explores VSA’s role in the history of social care in Aberdeen. Read more here.
Aberdeen Student Festival 2022 Launches
Aberdeen Student Festival is back and live in person for the first time since 2019. This award-winning multi-arts and cultural festival is organised and run by events management students from Robert Gordon University.
This year the theme for the festival is ‘Past to Present’ and ties in with The National Trust For Scotland’s "Year of Stories". The festivals goal is to allow attendees to reminisce not only their own past but also the local areas history and enjoy our modernised events based on the past.
All whilst rising funds for the National Trust for Scotland and representing the charity as a whole.
Find out about all the events which are part of the festival here.
Lunchbreak Concerts at Aberdeen Art Gallery
Earlier this month, Aberdeen Art Gallery launched the return of their popular free Lunchbreak Concerts in an ambitious style with local pianist Joseph Long.
Lunchbreak Concerts have been an important aspect of the Art Gallery’s public programme of activity for many years, offering an important platform for both established and emerging performers. The programme features professional and non-professional musicians, from Aberdeen and the North-East as well as further afield.
Lunchbreak Concerts are free, and donations are welcome. Visit the website for full programme details. Advance booking is encouraged.
Head to the link here to find out more > www.aagm.co.uk
TAG US!
Are you a business in the city centre who wants to be featured on our social channels? Make sure to tag us, it makes it so much easier for us to find and share your content!
Make sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter at @abdninspired.